Improved trace-fastening



ening;

' catch om. being aw-i tsaeew ci cited @gister- @atcct i @tinge msmSAMUEL c. HAwKiNs, or PATCHOGUE, New YORK.

i Letters Patent No. 85,820, dated January l2, 1869.

IMPROVY'ED TRACE-FASTENING.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom 'it ma/y concern.:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. HAwKINs, of Patchogue, in the county ofSuolk, and State of New York, have invented a new and improvedTrace-Fastand I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention consists in the providin; of the forward extremity of thetrace with a spring-catch, and the construction of the tug with suitablerecesses under its loop for reception of said catch, whereby, when theend ofthe trace isinserted into the loop, the said springcatch will lockintoone of the said recesses of the tug, thereby effecting a convenientand durable fastenin f.

It also consists in the arrangement, in combination therewith, of alocking-slide, for locking with a projection or lip upon the catch,whereby, by the forward sliding of the trace to the end of the loop, thecatch may be locked inwardly by the forcing back of the slide, therebyenabling the trace to'be easily withdrawn, when desirable, withoutcatching in the said recesses.

Referring to the accompanyingT drawing- Figure l represents alongitudinal section of a trace 'and tug providedwith a fasteningconstructed according to my invention;

Figure 2 represents a side view of the forward portion of a trace, withmy invention attached thereto, detached from the'tug; and

Figure 3 represents a detached portion of the locking parts of the tug.t

Siniilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral igures.

A is a trace, held within the loop of a tug, B, and differing in nosubstantial particular from a trace ofordinary construction, exceptthat, instead of having holes for reception of the tongue ofthetug-buckle, it 'has riveted to'and projecting from its forward extremitya metallic plate,` a.

Within this lplate a is cut, in a longitudinal direction, a slot which,ou one side of said plate, is surrounded above and below and in frontwith an outwardly or laterally-projecting wall, i

Pivoted at a point, x, within the space enclosed by this wall c, andwith its locking-end projecting through said longitudinal slot, is acatch, d.

Said catch d-is operated by a spring, j, and is constructed and arrangedfor hanging when baclrwardly drawn, but offering no obstruction when thetrace is being forced into the loop.

c is a projection or shoulder provided upon the rear orlocking-extremity of the catch d, for preventing said forced by thespring too :far through the slot'l rlhe said spring f may be of anysuitable form for effecting the purpose for which it is designed, but ispreferably of a Aforni and arrangement, as represented in those parts oflig. 2 which are represented by the said letterj; so that while it isheld lirlnly in place by the pivot fr, its extremities, by entering iluIrear open MOH* end of the wall c, may press upon the catch d, while thecentral portion, or opposite doubled extremity thereof, may serve tohold in place a locking-slide, g, pivoted -at the forward end of theplate a..

Said locking-slide g is so arranged that, by its backward sliding whenthe spring-catch d is inwardly forced, the rear 'end ofsaid slide willlock with a projection or lip, 1'., of the said catch, thereby holding`said catch in that position, so that it may be easily withdrawn from theloop without hanging therein.

The tug-strap B resembles in outward appearance the ordinary tug-strapwithout the trace-buckle, but is internally provided, at differentpoints under its loop b, with recessed or notched plates h, each havingan opening or locking-recess, o, and one of which' is representeddetached froin the tug-strap in fig. 3.

Said plates h are longitudinally arranged between the layers of leathercomposing the tug-strap B, and with their recesses o opening into thespace enclosed by the loop I), so that when the traceA is forced underthe loop, its spring-catch d will hang within one ofthe said recesses oropenings o, as represented in iff. 1.

lhe ends of the plates l: are inorelirinly secured, while the loop l) isalso strengthened by lneans of transversely-arrailged metallic bands p,passing over thc ends oi' the said plates and under the said loop.

lhc forward end of the loop is closed by the filling in of leather, orother. material, as represented in iig. l, so that when the trace isforced under the looprto a suiiicicnt distance, the forward end ofthelocking-slide g will be brought in contact with the said closed end, andbe forced to slide back within the plate a. p

Said backward sliding of the locking-slide being ata time when thelocking-extremity ofthe spring-catch d is forced within the longitudinalslot ofthe plate a, by the passing thereof over the solid partof thetug-strap beyond the last locking-recess, the -rcar end ofthe saidlocking-slide y will he made to engage with or slide over the projcctienor lip t' of thc catch d, thcrebyloeking back the said catch within theslot, whereupon the trace A may be \\'ithdrawn from the loop without thehanging ofthe catch d within the locking-recesses o.

What l clahn as lny invention, and desire to have secured by Letterslntent, is-

,l. The combination of thc forward end ofJ a trace, provided with aspring-catch, and a tug-strap, provided with correspondinglocking-recesses under its loop for reception ofthe said spring-catch,whereby,.upon the' insertion of the end of the trace within the loop ofthe tug-strap, the spring-catch 'will enter one of the locking-recesses,thereby effecting a convenient and durablc fastening.

2. ln combination with the abovc,'the locking-slide g/ and projectiont', of the spring-catch d, operating substantially as and for. thepurpose hereinsct forth.

SAML O. TIAXVKINS. Witnesses:

linnn. l-Lirsas, llnsnr PALMER.

